Westone Rail bass for trade

Black westone rail bass in very good shape with origonal gig bag.Plays great has no issues.I picked this up about a week ago,but really dont need another bass at the moment.Id like to trade for an electric guitar.preferably a Epiphone firebird VII,Fender jagstang or mustang.I dont no if somebody has one of those or if they think it would be a fair trade,so feel free to send me what you have.Im open to alot of things MIM or MIJ telecaster,Ibanez iceman or destroyer,pink warlocks,Ibanez artocre hollowbodys but mostly would like to find something fenderish or Epiphone firebird

I have refrences and pics.Email at skurkbass@hotmail.com

pics!

Is it an 84 or 85?

I dont no how to tell what year it is.The Guy I bought it from told me he was the origonal owner that he bought it In 1985 or 1986.It also has the silver westone gig bag for it.Here are some pics from the owner.It is in the same exact shape as I got it.I can get better pics if need be.The bass seems cleaner and it better shape then in the photos it seems like it has some smudges and need cleaned.Its in very good shape but not perfect im not trying to hide anything and will gladly give close up shots of anything you would need. https://s873.photobucket.com/albums/ab295/zombiecamp/ .Dont be shy with trade offers.I really do like this bass I just need a guitar more then another bass.

Also i keep saying I need a guitar more then a bass but if you have a really nice bass Ill listen to offers.I also collect old video game systems.If you have a neo geo,Turbo duo,turbo grafx cd,Or atari Jaguar with cd.I would be enterested in trading for one of those as well.It also best to reach me by email at skurkbass@hotmail.com I can contact faster then coming to the site.

There should be a serial number on the back of the "headstock". Every 84 I've seen has had the same number for some reason, 84009. An 85 will be a 6-digit number beginning in 5. Apparently they were also made in 86, but I've never seen one.

If its the holographic sticker close to the head,Mine is a 5 digit number but it dosent start with an 8 it start with a 4 unless the 8 is completly rubbed off but the other numbers are diffrent.I dont have it in front of me but the last number on mine is a 3 or an 8?Any ideas what year that would place it?

Havent recived any offers yet.I thought there was more of a demand.Id rather let it go here then ebay.

A holographic sticker? That's... well, I've never seen one. I'm mostly interested in seeing if you have the earlier or later version of the bass, and the serial number is a good way to tell. If the holographic sticker is the serial number, the 4 would make it an 84. The body of the bass would give it away if you posted some high resolution pictures for me to look at. I have an 84 Rail and two 85s, so the differences are easy for me to spot since the two years look and play slightly different.

Unfortunately I'm not sure you'll find a lot of interest on here, at least not in the form of trades. There aren't an abundance of bassists here, and most of us have Matsumoku collections and not much in the way of Fenders or Gibson/Epiphones. You may like to try on the Electra and Matsumoku forums as well.

Which "Rail" do you find plays better '84 or '85.

Well the difference is that the string height over the rails is not level on the 84, so sliding the pickup towards the neck will give you a volume swell and towards the bridge volume attenuation. On the updated 85 models, the strings are perfectly level and sliding the pickup acts as a tone knob. I believe the 84s, or at least the early ones (84009) were probably a production mistake. The necks and pickups are the same, and the playability and tone are outstanding. On the 84s, the volume swelling/attenuation would probably make for a really cool effect if you can teach yourself to slide it smoothly mid song. The useful set positions for the pickup are more limited to the center area of the range, though, as too close to the neck will cause lots of speaker pop and too close to the bridge will have the volume too low.

I asked a friend of mine who's been playing bass for 30 years to give me his thoughts on an 85, and he said the neck was among the best he'd ever played, and he could easily dial in the tone of his favorite Ibanez. He also commented that the neck was faster than on his Ibanez.

On a side note, my red 85 has become my signature bass.

Thanks for that advice Warrn, mines a '85. Just can't get used to a headless though, seems like somethings missing.
I play a '62 jazz bass(I've 2) genuine 62's as light as a feather and as smooth as butter.
My Rail has flatwound strings and does sound pretty good, just missing a bit on the end.

thedeadking - I have emailed you.

Does this take double ball end strings like the Hohner B2A? I see there is a clamp at the head, but can you fix a ball into a slot?

Yes they do, double ball end.

Thank you for that. I like double ball end strings, quick and easy to fit. I have a Hohner B2A currently for those lower back ache days but, well, it isn't an Uncle Mat is it!

What?? Rail basses DO NOT take double ball end strings. Or they aren't supposed to anyway...

Why not , your'e looking at a picture of one, they take both, just saves cutting the end off.

Well I mean, they apparently can take them, but they certainly weren't designed to. Aren't double ball end strings more expensive, too? I've never even seen a set in a store.

I was after some double ball end flats recently and was pointed in the direction of Status, the single ball ends were £16-99 and double ball end were £17-99. Cheap compared to something like Thomastik or D'Addario flats which come in at nearer £30 as I recall. Nice strings, too.

Sorry for late reply been busy.If anybody is enterested im looking to sell now for $300 plus shipping.I have better pics now and will have the uploaded hopefuly soon.